Fulcrum device for earth-working implements



.i :i Figure 2 is a sectional view Patented May 4, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATE-NT SALVADOR fRUBIo, or Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. y

romania. nevica ron nAmnfwonxnve inrnnnnnre Appliaton led,y April 28, 1924 VSerial No., 709,626,

tached' to the leg and providing a fulcrum -upon which the handle shank .of an'earth working implement can be manually rocked to permit lifting of a quantity of earth withv less labor than heretofore required and to accomplishl more work with greater ease. I wll'describe onlyone form. of fulcrum device embodying my invention, and will point out the novel features thereofv in claims, i

In the accompanying 'drawings Figurey 1 is a view showing one form of fulcrum device embodying my inventionin applied position with respect to 'the leg l taken on the line of Figure 1; f i

Figure 3 isa fragmentary sectional View taken ont-he line 3T3 of Figure l.

. I, Referring specifically to the drawings, in which sinnlar: reference characters refer to @similar parts, my invention V1n its present Y embodiment comprises a flexible supporting member l5, preferably formed of a-relatively heavy. sheet ofleather which is bent in the form of a U., so as to accommodate the f leg, and which is curved inwardly or rearc wardly so ias tofconform generally to the leg ata point directly above the kneejoint.

This supportingV member 1 5 is sufficiently long to extend both above and below the knee joint and is adapted to ybe secured in position upon the leg by means of a strap 16 split ,atvitsl lower end to provide a plu-v rality of tabs 17 which are riveted or otherwise secured to the upper end of the member 15. The upper end of the strap 16 is looped and provided with a buckle 18, by means of which the strap can be secured to the usual trousers supporting belt 19 of the person wearing the device. A vsecond strap 20 is adapted to encircle the leg above the knee and this strap is adjustable vertically upon the strap 16 by virtue of a strip 21 riveted to the strap 20and betweenfwhicli the 4Strap 116 slidably fits, as clearly illustrated. in

Figure 3.

The

supporting member 1.5. 'j provides ineens for rigidly supporting upon'the leg an element designated generally as E.; Snell y element in the present instance being formed of a single length of rigid myaterial7 preflably metal, which is bent intovsubstantially semi-circular form, and pro-vided at its;l ends with eyes 22 engaged by looped ends of' an adjustable strapy 23 which is adapted te embrace the leg adjacent the yknee joint, as clearly illustrated in Figure l.l To prevent longitudinal as well asvertical displacelnientof the element E, Ystrap loops 24,. are

riveted to the inernber'l, sees tofembraoe the element adjacent the eyes 22.,v `To prevent .longitudinal or circumferential displacement ef the element a: relatively langev` strap loop 25 is riveted to the member l5 at `apoint between the strap lloops 24. This straploop 25 is formed from a sin le length vof leather or other flexible materia which is folded upon itself to provide between its ends sleeves 2 6, Which arespaced tofaccommodate a projectiony or bar 27 formed on the element E. This: projection or bar 2 7 iS forme-d. by bending the :Single length ofr metal or other materiel z from which.

the element is formed at a point between its ends and upon itself. tionorparjt 27 iS tlmsconstrnetedfof tW'O stretches of'metal having twothe Strength of the seniifcircular` portion ,of the element E.. Further, the free end of tlieprojeetion or bar 27 is bent upwardlytopproyide a,y lip 28yvlncl1v functionsto eo'nne'l the lhandle shank of an earth working implement vagainst lateral displacement from the ber.

In practice, the device is' applied tothe leg in' the manner llustratedjfin Figure l, withtlie strap 16 connected to. the. belt- 19 `to determine the' elevation-y oi the device upon the leg, while they strap 2.0 embraces the'leg to prevent forward displacement ofthe device from the leg. The strap 23 embraces the leg directly below the knee joint so as to maintain the member 15 in snug engagement with the leg. By means of these straps the member 15 is fiXedly secured upon the leg so as to 'cause the element E to occupy a definite position at all times. With the device applied, the bar 27 projects inwardly` from the leg at a point adjacent to the knee The proj eev joint so that the handle shank .of an earth workingy implement, such as a shovel, ca n b e placed upon the bar in the manner indicated in dot and dash lines in Figure l. With the shovel so applied, it will be clear that it is free for forward movement to load the shovel, whereupon, by gripping and forcing the handle downwardly, the handle shank will rock about the bar 27 as a center, thus elevating the shovel and its load to convenient position for dumping.

By actual experiment it has been found that by employing a fulcrum device of the character just described the operation of a shovel or other earthworking implement is rgreatly facilitated, the bar 277 providing a fixed point upon which the shovel can be rocked to effect with ease the initial lifting of the shovel and its load.

VAlthough I have herein shown and described only one form of fulcrum device for earth working implements embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made herein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spiritand scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, an earth working implement, a rigid velement providing a fulcrum point about which a shovel may be rocked,l and means for detachably securing the element in a definite position with re- 1 spect to the knee. v

2. A fulcrum device of the character described comprising a supporting member, means for securing the supporting member in fixed position upon the leg, and an element secured to the supporting member to provide a support for the shank of an earth working implement upon which the latter can be rocked for the purpose described.

3. A fulcrum device of the character demember, means for securing the member in fixed position upon the leg, and an element y secured to the supportingmember and projecting laterally therefrom for the purpose described.

4. A fulcrum device of the character described, comprising a supporting member adapted-to be secured to'the leg to occupy a definite position with respect to the knee, and anelement rigidly secured on the member and providing a support for the handle 6. A fulcrum deviceV of the character dei scribed comprising a supporting member adapted to be secured to the legin definite position with respect-to the knee, andan element rigidly secured on themember ,and providing a support for the handle shank of an earth working implement upon which the"v latter can be rocked, and a projection on the element for confining the handle shank on the element against lateral displacement.'y

'a'. A fulcrum device of the character, described comprising a sheet of flexible material, anvelementformed of rigid material secured to said sheety and curved to maintain the sheet in substantially U-form, a bar extending from the element, and means as sociated with the element and sheet lfor detaehably securing the sheet ,toy the leg.

8. A fulcrum device of the characterv described comprising a sheet of flexible .mate'rial, an element formed of rigid material secured to said sheet and curved to maintain the sheet in substantially U-form, a bar, extending from the'element, means associated with the element and sheet for detachably securing the sheet to the Aleg, and a lip formed on the bar for the-purpose described.

9. A fulcrum device of t-he character described comprising aV sheet of flexible'material, an element secured to thematerial, said element being vformed of rigid lmaterial and curved to maintain the sheet in curved form, a strap secured to the upper end of the sheet and having 'an adjustable loop adapted to engage a belt, a second strap adapted to encircle the leg abovethe knee and adjustable vertically on the first strap, a third strap secured to the element and adapted to partly embrace the leg below the knee,v

SALVADOR RUBIO. 

